Visible information carrier

ABSTRACT

A combination of a product having a rigid structure, such as a child safety seat, and a visible information carrier, wherein the product has a recess in the structure and an anchorage secured to the structure, the visible information carrier is dimensioned so as to fit on to the recess and a flexible tether connecting the visible information carrier to the anchorage.

FIELD

[0001] This invention relates to the combination of a product and a visible information carrier of instructions for said product. It is particularly applicable to products where it is necessary for users to follow instructions for reasons of safety, such as child safety seats, boosters and other child restraints for use in vehicles, and strollers.

RELATED ART

[0002] The performance of a child safety seat in a vehicle in the event of an accident can be adversely affected if the child seat is not correctly fitted in the vehicle. To obtain best performance, it is important for a user to follow precisely the installation instructions supplied with the seat. It has been found that, when such instructions are supplied in the form of a separate booklet, such a booklet is frequently not available when the seat is being installed in a vehicle either because it has been lost or because the user has stored it away in a place where it is not readily accessible.

[0003] To overcome this disadvantage, it has already been proposed to provide installation instructions on a label that is permanently secured to the child seat, for example by adhesive. This arrangement has the disadvantage that instructions, of necessity, have to be concise so as to fit on to such a label. Such conciseness can lead to a reduction in clarity.

[0004] Another attempt to solve this problem has involved providing a slot or similar formation on the seat back of the child seat in which an instruction booklet can be stored. This enables comprehensive instructions to be provided but has the disadvantages that it relies on the user replacing the booklet in the storage location after consulting it and that it may not accessible when the child seat is in place on a vehicle seat.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] According to the invention, in a combination of a product and a visible information carrier, the product comprises a rigid structure and has a recess in said structure and an anchorage secured to said structure, the visible information carrier is dimensioned so as to fit into the recess and a flexible tether connects the visible information carrier to the anchorage.

[0006] With this arrangement, the visible information carrier can be pulled out of the recess and held at any convenient angle for easy reading but cannot be separated from the product.

[0007] When the product is child safety seat, the rigid structure may be a seat body. Alternatively, if the child seat comprises a seat body mounted on a base, the rigid structure may be the base.

[0008] Preferably, the information carrier comprises a multi-page booklet. Alternatively, it may comprise a scroll or a single sheet, which may have information printed on both sides and which may be folded in order to fit into the recess.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0010]FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a child safety seat in accordance with the invention having a recess for an instruction booklet, the recess being covered by a closure;

[0011]FIG. 2 is a scrap exploded perspective view of the recess of the seat shown in FIG. 1 with the closure in an open position and without a booklet;

[0012]FIG. 3 is an scrap perspective view showing the booklet in a position in which can be read; and

[0013]FIG. 4 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 3 but with the booklet in a stowed position and the closure removed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0014]FIG. 1 shows a child seat having a seat body 10 which may be secured in place on a vehicle seat by conventional means that form no part of the invention and are neither described nor illustrated. The seat body 10 has a seat portion 12, a backrest 14 and side wings 16 and 18. Adjacent to the side wing 18, the seat portion 12 contains a recess 20 that extends to the front wall 32 of the seat body 10 and which is covered by a closure 24 (see also FIG. 2). The closure 24 may be formed of a slightly resilient material such as expanded polystyrene and dimensioned so as to be an interference fit in the top of the recess 20. Alternatively, interengaging snap-fittings (not shown) may be formed on the edges of the closure and the corresponding edges of the recess.

[0015] A threaded stud 26 projects into the recess from one of its side walls 28 and carries a nut 30. A flexible tether strap 32 has a hole in one end 33 dimensioned to be a close fit on the stud 26 so as to be held captive by the nut 30. A loop 34 is formed at the opposite end of the tether 32.

[0016]FIG. 3 shows a booklet 36 attached to the tether strap 32, opened and located in a position convenient for the instructions therein to be read. The booklet 36 has holes 38 in each of its pages located adjacent to the top corner thereof closest to the spine 40 thereof. Before the tether strap 32 is attached to the stud 26, the loop 34 is passed through the holes 38 and then the other end 33 of the tether strap 32 is passed through the loop 34. When the end 33 is secured on the stud 26, it is impossible to detach the booklet 36 from the tether 32 without tearing its pages.

[0017] As shown in FIG. 4, when the booklet 36 is closed it can be partially folded and contained entirely within the recess 20, which can then be enclosed by the closure 24 as shown in FIG. 1.

[0018] Although the drawings show an information carrier in the form of a booklet 36, other forms of information carrier can be used. For example, the information carrier can take the form of a rolled scroll. It can also take the form of a single sheet of paper or card that can be fitted into the recess 20, for example by being folded. The recess 20 may be replaced by a recess located at another position on the seat. For example, such a recess may be located in the backrest or one of the side wings. Alternatively, if the seat has a separate base on which the seat body is mounted, the recess may be located in such base. 

1. A combination of a product and a visible information carrier, wherein the product comprises a rigid structure and has a recess in said structure and an anchorage secured to said structure, the visible information carrier is dimensioned so as to fit into the recess and a flexible tether connects the visible information carrier to the anchorage.
 2. The combination of claim 1, wherein the information carrier comprises a multi-page booklet.
 3. The combination of claim 1, wherein the information carrier comprises a single sheet.
 4. The combination of claim 3, wherein the product is child safety seat and the rigid structure is a seat body.
 5. The combination of claim 3, wherein the child seat comprises a seat body mounted on a base, the rigid structure is the base.
 6. The combination of claim 2, wherein the product is child safety seat and the rigid structure is a seat body.
 7. The combination of claim 2, wherein the child seat comprises a seat body mounted on a base, the rigid structure is the base.
 8. The combination of claim 1, wherein the product is child safety seat and the rigid structure is a seat body.
 9. The combination of claim 1, wherein the child seat comprises a seat body mounted on a base, the rigid structure is the base. 